Slavery
by Evenstar606
Summary: The Digimon are enlaved, the crests are failing...is this the end? 02 Centric.
1. New Faces

Here is Chapter One of Syedaabbas8's Private Challenge, Slavery. I fixed a lot of mistakes and uploaded the story all over again.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

_August 2004_

Davis Motomiya hated his sister at the moment. Well, to be fair, maybe _hate_ was too strong a word. He settled for seriously disliking her. Normally, the two siblings got along pretty good. They had their share of fights and teasing, but nothing major.

Today, June was drawing the line.

"Come on, Lunamon, don't be shy…tell me!" June's voice drifted out of her bedroom. A little over a year ago, June, Yolei's sisters Momoe and Chizuru, and Joe's older brother Jim had received Digivices and became Digidestined. It was right after the second battle with Diaboromon, and a new problem had arisen in the Digital World.

With the help of Davis, Yolei, Kari, T.K., Ken, and Cody, they had vanquished the evil, and were doing great handling their responsibilities to both worlds. Lunamon was June's Digimon partner, and she had become one of June's best friends.

Pressing his ear quietly against June's door, Davis could hear Lunamon laughing. In many ways, she was June's polar opposite, often shy about voicing what she wanted. But the two made a great team.

"I know…is it Gaomon?" June whispered her guess, but it was a loud whisper that Davis heard anyway.

Gaomon was Jim's partner. He reminded Davis of Gabumon—wise, sensible, and furry.

"YOU LIKE GAOMON?" June squealed, and Davis covered his ears to drown out the sound of her 'annoying voice'. Who did June think she was, the Digimon Matchmaker? "That is so romantic, Lunamon!"

He rolled his eyes. Digimon didn't need anymore help than humans did finding a date. Patamon and Gatomon were a strong testament to that fact. They were united on the same front, and had so much love for one another. Considering all they had gone through together, it was no wonder.

"Now she's got _me _thinking sappy," Davis grumbled, mentally slapping himself. June had good intentions, though. She would do anything for Lunamon.

"Davis, is that you?" June yelled.

_Darn it, here she comes…_

June's door swung open, nearly knocking Davis over in the process. His sister glared at him, hands on her hips. "Were you eavesdropping?" she demanded.

Ouch, her eyes are like daggers, Davis cringed inwardly. "No, but really, June, who are you to be handing out dating advice?" he blurted out, thinking of her past track record when it came to guys.

June wasn't fazed. "For your information, Jim and I have a great relationship!" June snapped, Lunamon giggling beside her.

Last year, June had begun dating Jim Kido. Actually, she had matured a lot since then, and attended the same college in Kyoto as her boyfriend.

"It was just a joke," Davis grinned. Thinking about Jim and June together brought Davis' thoughts to Kari. After the battle with MaloMyotismon, he had realized that Kari belonged with T.K., and had gracefully accepted it when the two started dating.

June wasn't the only one who had done some growing up.

"Well, Lunamon and I are heading over to Jim's, see you later," June waved, grabbing her purse and walking out with Lunamon, yelling, "Tell Mom I won't be home for dinner!"

Davis watched them go, thinking of Veemon. It had been a while since Davis had heard from him. He hoped that Veemon was just busy romancing the ladies, but something deep inside told Davis to be worried.

**

* * *

**

The gate lay in shambles. A frozen wind permeated the air, chilled the bones rotting in their shallow graves. A sign, Gate Number Three, dusty with cobwebs, groaned on its ancient post: the epitaph that led the dead into their final slumber.

They were just data, the unfortunate many that lived no more. Their killer stared into the desolation, heart bare, empty as trees standing on a feeble foundation. He grinned, raised his hands, and began absorbing the data into his own body.

While only a few months had passed on Earth since the Digidestined had last been to the Digital World, years had gone by here.

A New Order had come.

"Dragomon, take the prisoners—I grow weary of this area," Daemon said, turning to a dark presence behind him.

"Gladly," Dragomon's voice rumbled, and he advanced on a group of Digimon cowering near the remains of the fallen gate. He conjured a large net, and threw it over the Digimon, who were too terrified to move.

_Tai, help us…_Agumon thought frantically as cold darkness fell upon him and his friends.


	2. The Dark World Emerges

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

"Think fast!"

Matt Ishida looked up just in time to see the basketball thrown by his younger brother T.K. flying at him. He caught the ball before it could smash into his face, and tossed it carelessly toward the basket.

It teetered on the edge of the rim, and missed.

"Guess it's not my day, huh?" Matt sighed, turning to grin at his little brother. T.K. was the athletic one in the family. Matt's abilities in sports extended only as far as how fast he could run when being chased by intimidating Digimon.

"You just weren't prepared," T.K. smiled, picking up the ball from its resting place on the ground. He watched Matt out the corner of his eye, and noticed how tired his brother looked.

If it had been anyone else, T.K. wouldn't be worried, but Matt was different. He'd been a Type 1 Diabetic since he was five, and had only recently gotten out of the hospital in June because of problems with his blood sugar.

Matt was doing fine now, as far a T.K. knew. His doctor had put him on a new Insulin delivery device called an Omnipod—they were only available in America right now, but Dr. Kido had connections with a company in New York, and when push came to shove, they were able to get one. Matt was handling it better than the other pumps he had tried in the past.

At least now, finally, he was free from the burden of daily shots.

"We should head home," Matt suggested, absently rubbing his temples. Already, he could feel a headache throbbing behind his eyelids, and his shoes felt painfully tight. _Great, my feet are swelling, that can't be good_, he thought with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Okay," T.K. agreed. "I wanted to give Patamon a jingle anyway," he insisted, thinking of his partner Patamon. Last he heard the Digimon had been staying at Gennai's while they attended Digimon School, just as they had last summer. But that was over two months ago.

They left the park. The thick August heat suspended, burned the sidewalk under T.K.'s sneakers, wilted the summer in its last days, revenge before the air chilled barren trees for the winter.

But the trees still bloomed, and a gentle breeze rustled their branches.

The walk home was silent, neither brother saying anything. They passed a little girl walking her Bernese mountain dog, and Matt felt a pang in his chest. When was it he last spoke with Gabumon? It seemed like ages.

Maybe a trip to the Digital World was what they all needed.

* * *

Patamon lay huddled in the small, damp cell, Gatomon shivering at his side. How long had they been locked in here? Days? Weeks? He no longer had a sense of time or space. The only thing that was keeping Patamon going now was the feel of Gatomon's steady breathing against his skin.

"Gatomon, are you awake?" Patamon whispered, afraid the guards, four lumbering Devidramon, would hear him. He nudged her gently, and smiled when Gatomon opened her beautiful blue eyes.

"I am," she said weakly, and Patamon felt his heart clench. When they were captured by Dragomon and Daemon, Dragomon had recognized Gatomon as the partner of the Child of Light, and beaten her severely for her 'betrayal' as he called it.

"Don't worry, I know they will be here soon," Patamon said quietly. "T.K. and Kari will know that something is wrong—they'll tell the others, and we'll get out of this place."

"Where's everyone else?" Gatomon wondered, struggling to sit up. Patamon shifted so that she could lean against him, anger rising inside him at their captors for putting her in this condition. He felt helpless; he didn't know how he could help her.

"They're in the other cells around us," Patamon explained, gazing at the bruises that marred Gatomon's soft white fur. Her eyes were puffy. In the dim light that filtered through their tiny cell window, she looked fragile, as if she might break apart if he hugged her too hard.

"I'm alright," Gatomon insisted, reading his thoughts. She took one of his hands in hers, and they clung to one another, waiting.

* * *

New York City was awake and running at 7:00 A.M. Yellow cabs honked horns, stuck in an early morning traffic jam. Millions hurried by, their cargo briefcases, backpacks, cell phones, and stereos.

Joe Kido was terrified in the middle of it all. Someone stepped on his foot. He yelped, jumped aside for a kid on roller blades. This place was wild, it was awesome, it was…a hand grabbed his arm, yanked him to safety under an empty bus stop.

"What are you, nuts?"

"You lived here for fifteen years," Joe answered his friend's question with one of his own. "And you're still alive?"

"I knew I was forgetting something," Michael Barton sighed. "You _don't _just stand there looking like the stupid tourist you are. They'll run you over; grind you into the pigeon poop on the sidewalks."

"I'm not a stupid tourist!" Joe protested.

"Everyone is a stupid tourist at some point in their life," Michael said seriously. He smiled, "Pigeon poop…"

"Ewww…" Joe glanced around warily. He took out a street map. "Where's the sub station?"

"Which one?" Michael asked, absently. He looked up. "Put that away!" he snatched the map from Joe's hands. "Don't ever do that!"

"_What?" _

"Forget you're in New York." Michael snapped.

Joe groaned, listened with half an ear. Don't do this, don't do that, who not to make eye contact with, act like you know where you're going, NEVER take out a street map, blah, blah, blah…

"Got it?" Michael asked. "Good. Let's go,"

"Where?" Joe whined.

Michael blinked. "The subway," he said, slightly annoyed.

Mimi Tachikawa laughed, hugging Joe, who had a very perplexed look on his face. "Don't worry, Joe. New York may be a big city, but it's really no different from Tokyo."

"I guess," Joe muttered, forcing a smile for his girlfriend. He had a feeling that Michael was a little jealous of his and Mimi's relationship. That was just silly. He noticed Michael standing there, tapping his watch impatiently. Normally, Michael was a great person to be around, but ever since Joe arrived in New York to spend the week with Mimi, Michael had been acting like a spoiled rich boy.

"We're going to be late for the theater, you two!" Michael insisted. "The play starts in half an hour."

"Calm down, Michael, we'll get there," Mimi said, calming her other friend down. She took Joe's arm, and they began to walk; in the distance, she caught sight of the entrance to 34th Street Station.

"I'm sorry," Michael apologized, speaking to Joe. "I'm not being a very good host, am I?"

"You're fine," Joe said, grinning at Michael. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

All of a sudden, Mimi gasped, causing both Michael and Joe to look up. "Mimi, are you okay?" Michael wondered. He followed her gaze to the tunnel, where all of the people had disappeared, and beyond the stairs was a dark, shadowy beach. Water lapped on the shore.

It couldn't be. The Dark Ocean!

"It's the Dark World," Joe said in disbelief. He remembered Kari and Ken telling him about this place, a world devoid of light. The Dark Ocean that made you feel drained of hope, the lighthouse that cast pure blackness upon all it touched. But what was it doing here? The last they had known of the Dark Ocean was the day Ken had sent Daemon into its depths.

Something wasn't right.

"Joe, I want to go home," Mimi whispered, clinging to his arm. Joe sympathized with her fear. He tried to think of a way out. Without Gomamon, Palmon, and Betamon, they were sitting ducks.

Michael shivered. It was cold. And lonely. Although they were together, everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

_Just stay calm_, Michael told himself.

Then, as quickly as it had materialized, the darkness around them was gone. The sound of cars and people brought them back to reality, and Mimi, Joe, and Michael stood in front of the subway, dumbfounded. What on Earth had just happened?


	3. Time

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

Tai's jaw dropped when Mimi and Joe told him the news. "You saw _WHAT_?" He couldn't wrap his mind around what they were saying.

"The Dark Ocean appeared in the real world," Joe repeated. He took off his glasses and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. After that incident in New York, he and Mimi had grabbed the first Red Eye flight back to Japan. Michael stayed behind, promising to rally all of their Digidestined friends in New York to keep a watch out for other strange occurrences.

"That can't be good," Izzy said, booting up his laptop computer. Everyone had met up at the park, because, ever since their number had increased, there wasn't enough room at anyone's apartment to fit them all. "I've been trying f or days to contact Gennai for any word on our Digimon, but something keeps blocking my signal."

Izzy's face reflected the worry they all felt, the unspoken question on their minds. What was going on?

"At least some of our partners are here, just in case," Jim insisted, indicating Gaomon, Lunamon, and Momoe and Chizuru's partners, Fanbeemon and Dracomon. "If anything goes wrong, they'll be able to help."

"That's for sure," Izzy smiled.

Ken sat quietly, looking thoughtful. "Do you think Daemon could be behind this?" he suggested.

Tai frowned. Daemon was the evil Digimon who had caused so much trouble two years ago. He had sought the Dark Spores from Ken, and had ultimately been imprisoned in the Dark World by Ken's Digivice.

It was a good possibility…a _very_ good one.

"Or even the Undersea Master," Kari whispered, memories of her first time in that realm flooding back to her. The trickery of the Scubamon who summoned her so she could procreate with their master Dragomon.

She shuddered, and felt T.K.'s arm slide around her shoulders. Kari leaned her head on his shoulder, glad that he had rescued her that day.

"Do you really think it could be them, Tai?" Sora asked, looking at her boyfriend. The thought of having to face two very evil Digimon whom they've had little experience with made her nervous. Especially now, since they were having trouble contacting their Digimon friends.

Tai was silent for a long time, and you could practically see the gears working inside his head as he considered everything they had brought up.

"I don't know," he said finally. "We'll just have to wait and see. Izzy, keep trying to get a hold of Gennai, and the rest of us will be on the lookout for anymore clues from the Dark World. Sooner or later, we'll catch a break."

"Good plan," Jim agreed, looking around at everyone. "You know what they say, take things one step at a time."

_One step at a time,_ T.K. thought. The words sounded almost ironic; because he had a feeling they didn't have much time.

* * *

Palmon tossed and turned, her body restless. It was impossible to find a comfortable position on the cold stone floor of the tiny cell she shared with Gomamon. At last, after nearly two hours of struggling, she gave up and began pacing back and forth. "I hate this!" she shouted, her voice echoing down the gloomy hallway. "How much longer do you think they're going to keep us locked up, I want Mimi!"

She couldn't keep the sobs from escaping, and the tears began to flow.

Like Mimi, Palmon possessed an innate ability to sincerely express her feelings. Gomamon could do nothing but listen as his true love vented all of the frustrations she had kept bottled up during the two days since their capture.

"Did you see how they killed all of those Digimon?" Palmon asked, her eyes brimming, her fists clenched as she mentally relived the slaughter of the village where she had once lived with Gomamon. The screams and cries of pain. The wails of agony as powerful, devastating attacks bombarded them. Digimon had fled for cover, only to be dragged back to their deaths.

"Palmon, try not to think about it…please?" Gomamon pleaded, attempting to offer some sort of comfort. "It was awful, but you have to keep your strength up." He told her what he knew Joe would say. "You'll make yourself sick, and I can't lose you…I love you."

"Oh, Gomamon," Palmon choked back another sob and fell into his arms. He held her, whispering softly in her ear, keeping her grounded.

Keeping her with him.

Suddenly the air grew cold, and moisture began to seep from the walls. He would be here soon. The Undersea Master. Dragomon had not made an appearance since the day they were imprisoned, and it chilled Gomamon to think what he might be plotting with Daemon.

The two had once been rivals, so he shuddered to think of the damage they could cause together.

"Just stay with me," he told Palmon. "I'll protect you no matter what."


	4. Hope and Fear

Here is Chapter Four of Syedaabbas8's Private Challenge, Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

Matt stared at the number on his Glucose Monitor. For the first time in months, it was normal. Then why do I feel so rotten? He wondered, flopping backwards onto his bed. He closed his eyes, fighting another headache.

_I don't need this right now…_

Not when things were starting to stir up again in the Digital World.

Lying on his dark green comforter, Matt thought back to when he first met Gabumon. During their time in the Digital World, Matt had managed to keep his Diabetes a secret. He was accustomed to handling it on his own. Until the day Devimon broke apart File Island. Lost in a blizzard with Gabumon, Matt caught a cold that worsened into Hypothermia. Gabumon had saved his life. It was shortly after he awoke from the chill-induced coma, that he went into shock caused by low blood sugar. Barely able to walk Gabumon through the motions that would once again save his life—Matt spilled his secret to Gabumon.

It was then that he truly knew that Gabumon would do anything in his power to help him; even if that meant conquering shyness to give Matt his fur coat.

T8unking about Gabumon's fur made Matt feel itchy. He realized, with a sinking feeling, that he had been itchy a lot over the last few weeks. It wasn't just an annoying 'the mosquitoes are eating me alive' kind of itch, but an unbearable itching. So bad, that he had broken out in a rash a couple times.

Along with his other symptoms, Matt realized that it could only be one thing. His kidneys had stopped working again. He wasn't really surprised; this had been happening off and on since he was eleven years old. Dr. Kido had diagnosed him with a kidney disease whose name he couldn't quite remember. But it caused damage to the filters in his kidneys. He took medication for it, but sometimes that wasn't enough to keep his kidneys running.

Too tired to worry about it, too much stuff on his mind, Matt shrugged it off.

As long as I take my medicine, maybe it will sort itself out, he thought, rolling over and falling into a restless sleep, his worry for Gabumon giving way to nightmares.

* * *

The dungeon's heavy iron doors burst open, and Dragomon's massive form filled the entryway; although he was a water-type Digimon, he possessed the ability to walk on land. He moved swiftly down the hall, causing many of his captives to shrink back deeper into their cells.

Just his presence struck fear into the hearts of many Digimon. He was very powerful, and could bend the seas to his will. It had been said, that Dragomon was born from a computer virus that infiltrated the computer systems of ships, submarines, and other watercraft.

"You will rise and look at me," Dragomon commanded, the venom in his voice intensified by the sinister expression on his face.

The Digimon shuffled to the front of their cells, wary of his every move.

Dragomon spoke again. "I would assume by now that you've realized there is no escape," he said, addressing the entire dungeon. "The world you once knew is now gone. Your freedom is nothing more than a memory—you're here to serve new masters now."

"You'll never be able to break us!" Agumon shouted from the cell he shared with Biyomon. "The Digidestined will stop you—you won't get away with this!" He glared at Dragomon, praying that he wouldn't be made an example of because of his newfound bravery.

Dragomon was silent for a moment, but then his eyes took on a malicious glint. One of his tentacles shot out, flying towards Agumon and gripping him tightly around the throat.

"You insolent fool," he hissed as Gabumon's choking gasps filled the dungeon. "The DigiDestined are powerless against me, they have abandoned you." He locked gazes with Agumon, whose face was steadily turning blue.

"That's not true!" Biyomon protested, flying she was eye-level with Dragomon.

"Think what you like," Dragomon sneered, releasing Agumon, who fell to the ground like a limp rag doll. "I don't mean to burst your bubble of disillusion—but where were your precious DigiDestined when you were cowering from me like sniveling insects?"

Twelve pairs of eyes glowered fiercely at Dragomon, but he grinned unscathed.

"They'll come—you can't keep us locked up forever!" Veemon insisted.

"On the contrary, I have no intentions of doing so—you were brought here to work. From this point on, you're going to be rebuilding the Control Spires your human friends destroyed." Dragomon signaled to a group of SkullMeramon, who opened the cell doors, attached fetters to the legs of every Digimon, leading them outside.

Control Spires? Wormmon thought frantically. What reason did Dragomon and Daemon have to erect the Dark Towers? They already captured over half the Digimon population, and slaughtered the other.

A whip cracked painfully against Wormmon's back. "Hurry up!" a SkullMeramon growled.

_Ken, please…we need you_, Wormmon thought, stumbling to catch up with his friends. He hoped that Dragomon's words weren't true. Ken would never give up on him—but if the Digidestined attempted to rescue them, they would be walking straight into a trap.


	5. Fading

Here is Chapter Five of Syedaabbas8's Private Challenge, Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. **

Over the next week, Tai and Davis came up with a plan to try all of the major Digital Gates to see if they had become corrupted, leading to the Dark Ocean. It was a risky plan, but Tai decided it was the only way. They divided into groups, with one person who still had a Digimon partner with them in each group.

Jim's group would try the gate at Highton View Terrace, Chizuru's group, the portal at summer camp. Momoe's group was going through the computer lab at Odaiba Elementary, and June's group wanted to open a gate at the TV station. They weren't sure the TV station idea would work.

June found herself staring at the back of Matt's head as he walked in front of her. Although she was dating Jim now, she was still intrigued by that mysterious side of Matt that he hid so well.

She wondered if she would ever understand him.

"Hey June, take a picture, it lasts longer," Davis said obnoxiously, running up to her with Yolei.

"Davis," June sighed, and rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something else, but decided against it.

"See, I'm so amazing, even my sister is speechless," Davis grinned at Yolei, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

June watched as the two shared a kiss. They were an unlikely pair—never in a million years had June imagined that Davis and Yolei would end up dating. But, as her mother always said, when a boy got on your nerves that meant he liked you.

They made it up to the top, where the famous battle with Myotismon had taken place nearly five years ago. Out on the walkway, Matt knew he had found the spot.

"Okay," he said, looking around the place where old memories still lingered. Myotismon's Crimson Lightning attack hurtling toward Kari and Gatomon; Wizardmon's sacrifice, his lifeless body sprawled on the balcony while Gatomon sobbed beside him. "Here goes," he held up his Digivice. "Digiport Open!"

They waited.

"Come on…come on!" Davis muttered, hoping that he was wrong, that they wouldn't get pulled into the Dark World.

Without warning, there was an explosion of light, and Matt, June, Lunamon, Yolei, and Davis were blown off their feet, thrown backwards into the atrium. Glass went flying as they shattered the windows, landing heavily on the other side.

Lunamon sat up with an effort, and hurried over to her partner. "June!"

"I'm alright…" June insisted, struggling to sit up. Glass fell from her clothes, littering the floor beneath her. She heard groans of pain as her friends sat up.

"What the hell happened?" Matt grimaced, staring in shock at the blood on his arms. "Why didn't it work?"

Davis winced, helping Yolei to her feet. He heard the crunch of glass under their feet, and saw the cuts on Yolei's legs. He felt something warm drip into his eyes. "I have no idea," he said, confused.

"We have to try again," Matt insisted, staggering over the broken window, clutching his Digivice in his bleeding hand. "If the gate won't open—that means our Digimon are trapped on the other side, and who knows what's happened to them!"

"But Matt…" June frowned.

"June. Veemon's there! What if the Dark World has fused with the Digital World?" Davis shouted, anger boiling up inside him. June didn't get it!

June stepped back, hugging Lunamon to her.

"DIGIPORT OPEN!" Matt shouted.

They were unprepared for what happened next. A hole of swirling darkness opened up before them, and out of the blackness, and icy voice spoke. "You are persistent, Child of Friendship. But know that your efforts are futile. The Digital World belongs to me now; and every creature in it. If you value your life, give up now, because there is no wining against the powers of darkness. Only pain and suffering await you."

Matt stared wide-eyed into the portal, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

"Is that Daemon?" Davis gasped. That voice sounded awfully familiar…

A pair of shadowy hands emerged from the portal, their wispy, cold fingers wrapping around Matt's face, almost like one would caress a child. Where they touched, his skin appeared to melt away, revealing the bone underneath.

"Death becomes you," the voice whispered, laughing as the darkness held Matt in its grasp, watching the fear dance in his eyes as his breath grew quick and cold. "We'll see you soon, Bearer of Friendship," the shadow released Matt from its clutches, and Matt slumped to the ground.

The portal vanished, leaving only the afternoon sunshine.

"Matt!" June gasped, and the three of them knelt beside their unconscious friend. His skin was clammy and pale.

"Is he dying?" Davis blurted out.

An idea came to Yolei, and she reached inside the neck of Matt's shirt, lifting out the chain that held his crest. Gennai had given them their crests back after they defeated MaloMyotismon, and strangely, they still had their power despite the Digidestined relinquishing it to Azulongmon.

But something was wrong. Matt's normally vibrant blue Crest of Friendship had faded to a dull, lifeless gray.

"I don't know, Davis," Yolei said slowly. "But he might be."


	6. Don't Try To Be A Hero

Here is Chapter Six of Syedaabbas8's Private Challenge, Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. **

Gatomon dumped another cartload of dirt onto the already heaping pile. They had been digging for hours, creating new spots for the Dark Towers, which, Daemon had announced, would serve an entirely new purpose: they would keep the Digital Gates closed to the outside worlds.

She stopped to catch her breath, wiping sweat from her forehead with a blistered paw. The sun, high overhead, beat down unmercifully, the scorching rays giving her a throbbing headache.

_I can't take much more of this_, Gatomon thought, gazing around the makeshift work camp where her friends labored painstakingly without food, and minimal rest.

_None of us can._

"Have some water," a small Gotsumon said, jerking Gatomon out of her thoughts. The Gotsumon carried a bucket, and offered her a ladle.

"Thank you," Gatomon smiled gratefully, taking a drink of the water and savoring the cool liquid as it flowed down her parched throat. Water was the only sustenance they were being allowed that day, until Daemon's minions returned with food that evening. No doubt, they would save all of the good food for themselves, leaving the prisoners with scraps.

"At least it will be food," Gatomon sighed aloud, watching the Gotsumon stagger off to give others their drink allotment.

Meanwhile, further down the camp, Gabumon, Agumon, Tentomon, and Armadillomon were breaking rocks in a small quarry. The work was dangerous and tiresome, but the four Digimon had worked out a pretty good system.

"Super Shocker!" Tentomon aimed an electric attack at a granite wall, and the rocks crashed to the ground.

"Blue Blaster!" Gabumon welded the piles into neat blocks, and Agumon helped Armadillomon load them onto a cart.

"I'll put these with the others," Armadillomon said, pulling the laden cart down the quarry to a storage cave. The work camp was stationed in the middle of the Cultural Desert, a barren wasteland that Daemon had selected because of its seclusion.

Agumon leaned close to Gabumon and Tentomon. "How are you guys holding up?" he whispered.

"I wish Izzy and the others would come," Tentomon said in a low voice, watching a group of Dark Tyrannomon guards whip three Gazimon for overturning a cart. The Gazimon whimpered in pain, curled on the ground. The guards beat them until they were bloodied, and once they lost consciousness, the guards drug the Gazimon away.

"Where do you think they're taking them?" Gabumon gasped. The Gazimon were some of his best friends, and it was taking all of his willpower not to approach the guards.

"I don't know," Agumon muttered, his own anger beginning to build.

A particularly menacing SkullMeramon guard swiveled in their direction, carrying a long, fiery chain. His footsteps shook the ground as he bore down on the three Digimon.

"No talking!" He roared. "Now get back to work!"

"But we haven't had a break for hours!" Gabumon protested. "We're tired and hungry, just let us rest for a while, please!"

"I'll give you a break," the SkullMeramon growled. Raising his arm, he brought the chain down on Gabumon's back with all of his strength.

Gabumon fell to the ground, burn marks forming on the skin under his pelt.

"GABUMON!" Agumon and Tentomon screamed.

The SkullMeramon whipped Gabumon again and again, a look of malicious contentment on his face. Gabumon bit his lip against the pain, drawing blood. Spots of black and white swam in his vision as he fought to stay awake, thinking of Matt, his best friend, and how he had to fight to stay alive for him.

Finally, just as Gabumon was on the verge of passing out, the beating stopped. A bucket of cold water was thrown over him, and the shock caused a violent shiver to course through his body, enlivening the pain.

"Put this unruly prisoner back in his cell. And chain him," the SkullMeramon told a pair of RedVeggiemon overseers, who hauled Gabumon to his feet and carried him back to the dungeon.

By now, Armadillomon had returned. "Poor Gabumon," he said quietly. "No Digimon deserves to be treated like that."

Agumon cast a wary eye toward the guards. "He was trying to help us," he said, blinking back tears. Somberly, the three of them went back to work, knowing that their friend's sacrifice would not be in vain.

They would survive this.


	7. Lost

Here is Chapter Seven of Syedaabbas8's Private Challenge, Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. **

T.K. hated hospitals. To him, they were nothing but institutions of suffering and death. He always felt drained of hope whenever he was within their walls, and today was no exception. He listened numbly to Dr. Kido speak, watched as the doctor explained his brother's condition to their terrified parents.

Matt was in total kidney failure.

According to Dr. Kido, Matt's kidneys had been slowly deteriorating for years, and now, they weren't working at all.

"What does this mean? What's going to happen to my brother?" T.K. demanded. He couldn't take it any longer; he had to know the truth.

"The only option for Matt is to go on Dialysis, which will take over the function of his kidneys and keep him alive," Dr. Kido said, dropping the bomb that T.K. knew had been steadily ticking in his parents' minds.

T.K. sagged, and felt his dad's arms go around him, holding him up.

"But you're wrong…why can't he just take medicine like before?" T.K. asked, shrugging out of his father's grip and reeling on Dr. Kido.

"The medication isn't working anymore, T.K." It was his mother who spoke, and when T.K. looked at her, he saw tears in her eyes.

"Don't cry, Mom," he pleaded.

She sank into a nearby chair, and buried her face in her hands. T.K. knew that his mom carried a lot of guilt over Matt's illness, and not being there for him growing up.

"Mom—," T.K. began, taking a step toward her, but his father stopped him.

"Leave her, T.K."

T.K. sighed, feeling powerless. Then a thought came to him. "What about a Kidney Transplant?"

"That is a possibility but…" Dr. Kido exchanged glances with T.K.'s dad. He could see some unspoken communication fly between them, and felt resentful.

"Son, we need to have a talk," Mr. Ishida placed a heavy hand on T.K.'s shoulder, and guided him out of the small office. Out in the waiting room, Tai, Kari, and the others were watching him, their expressions terrified.

"Are you okay, T.K.?" Kari asked gently, standing up and walking over to him. Even with Kari at his side, T.K. still felt empty and cold.

"I've been better," T.K. muttered. "Dad was just about to tell me something about a transplant for Matt," he looked at his father hopefully, but Mr. Ishida's face was grim.

"We'll talk in private," Mr. Ishida insisted. "If you don't mind, kids, I'll have T.K. back here in a minute."

"Go ahead," Kari smiled, and Mr. Ishida led T.K. outside. It was late now, and the sky sparkled with a million stars.

Mr. Ishida lit a cigarette from his pocket, and began pacing the parking lot. "Matt can't have a transplant, not yet at least," he said, his voice sounding very tired. T.K. noticed for the first time how much his dad had aged over the years.

"Why?" T.K. dared to ask.

"A lot of things have to be taken into consideration," Mr. Ishida explained. "Risks, overall health…"

"I don't understand," T.K. insisted.

"Organ transplants are usually given to people who are in good health other than their kidney failure," Mr. Ishida said, puffing nervously on his cigarette.

"That's not a problem, Matt's Diabetes is in control now," T.K. said.

"T.K., it is a problem—the kidney damage wasn't caused by the Diabetes," Mr. Ishida sighed. "Do you remember when Matt got so sick when he was eleven?"

"Yeah," T.K. nodded. After they had returned home from defeating the Dark Masters and Apoclymon, Matt had been hospitalized for nearly a month with a strange illness. It threw his Diabetes out of whack, caused unpredictable fevers, and he had undergone two surgeries.

Dr. Kido never figured out what it was. _But I knew_, T.K. thought. _Tai and all of us knew…_

"Well, Dr. Kido thinks that's what caused his kidney disease," T.K.'s dad jolted him out of his thoughts. "Because at Matt's age, he shouldn't have to worry about kidney failure brought on by Diabetes. That takes at least fifteen, twenty years to develop. Most Diabetics with kidney failure are older; it's rare in one so young."

"So what does that have to do with Matt not getting a transplant?" T.K. demanded, sounding more hostile than he'd intended.

"Dr. Kido wants to make sure that the illness that affected Matt years ago won't happen again," Mr. Ishida explained, dropping his cigarette and putting it out with his shoe. "He's going to try Matt on some new anti-viral medication for about a year."

_A year!_ T.K. thought. _What if Matt doesn't have a year?_

"Another problem is the donor," T.K.'s dad continued when T.K. didn't reply. "Your mother and I had ourselves tested years ago, but I don't meet the donor criteria because I've been a chronic smoker for years. Your mother decided against donating because it's major surgery, and if would be unfair to both you and Matt if I had to take care of you two together while she recovered."

_That's a flimsy excuse_, T.K. thought venomously.

"And?" T.K. persisted. Overhead, a helicopter had landed on the hospital launch pad. T.K. heard the steady whir of its blades, and found that it matched the beating of his heart: fast, and erratic.

"The only other compatible donor is you," his father confessed. "The guidelines for Organ Donation say a donor must be at least 18 years of age without parental consent. Younger donors can be used with the permission of the parents, but…"

T.K. scowled. He knew what was coming next. "Yeah?"

"You're mother and I agreed that you're too young, son," his father said slowly, not meeting T.K.'s eyes, but staring off into the distance , as if his mind were somewhere else.

"I'm thirteen," T.K. protested. What were they thinking? This was Matt's life they were playing with!

Mr. Ishida closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead in agitation. "We'd like to wait until you're fourteen—and until Matt is strong enough to withstand the surgery."

"So what happens until then?" T.K. asked glumly.

"Dr. Kido is putting Matt on Dialysis, like he said. The kind done through a tube in the stomach, he says that Diabetics often do better that way," Mr. Ishida explained. He smiled then, and T.K. wondered why.

"That sounds pretty bad, I don't think Matt will like it much," T.K. said.

"I have some good news there," Mr. Ishida went on. "After Matt got sick, your mother and I began pooling our paychecks, and we've set aside enough money to buy one of those portable Dialysis machines, so that Matt can do his treatments at night, while he sleeps, and not have to be tied down by a demanding exchange schedule."

"You…you did that for Matt?" T.K. asked.

"Of course we did, son," Mr. Ishida pulled T.K. into a bear hug. "I've made some mistakes in my life, but when it comes to my kids, I always try to do the right thing."

T.K. smiled. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, son," Mr. Ishida insisted. "Don't you worry, we'll get through this. Like I tell your brother, life isn't always an easy game, but never be afraid to play the hand you were dealt."

T.K. swallowed against the lump in his throat. _But what if that hand leads down a path I can't follow?_


	8. Never Give Up

Here is Chapter Eight of QueenGatomon's Private Challenge Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

The weeks drifted by, and still, the Chosen Digimon saw no sign of their human friends.

Gatomon stared at the ominous black towers that she and the other captive Digimon had helped construct, and felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness come over her. The towers stood out like gravestones against the sky, ferrying them all to an imminent death.

No, Gatomon scolded herself. Don't think of it that way. We still have a chance.

The sound of harsh coughing jolted Gatomon out of her thoughts, and she looked up in time to see Patamon collapse, the bucket of rocks he was forced to carry crashing to the ground.

"PATAMON!" Gatomon shrieked, rushing to his side. "Pata, are you okay? Speak to me!" she cried, gently prodding his face, making him look at her.

"I'm so…c…cold," Patamon said weakly. His small body shivered violently. Sweat poured off his forehead, and his face was a scrunched up as if he were in pain.

"Oh Patamon," Gatomon gently brushed the fur on his forehead. He was burning up, his cheeks flushed. "Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick?"

Patamon forced a smile. I wanted to be brave for you," he wheezed, before another bout of coughing racked his delicate frame. Blood glistened like rubies on his lips.

"Hang on, Pata," Gatomon said firmly, clutching his hand between her paws. "I'll get help, don't be afraid…"

The last thing Patamon saw before he blacked out was Gatomon crying.

* * *

At dusk, the imprisoned Digimon were taken back to their cells, finding that the dungeon had been coordinated to fit more prisoners. Agumon, Biyomon, Gomamon, Palmon, Gabumon, Veemon, Armadillomon, Hawkmon, Tentomon, Wormmon, Patamon and Gatomon were grouped into a single cramped cell.

"Patamon is very sick," Gatomon told the others, placing a cool rag on her best friend and partner's head. She could almost feel the heat radiating off his body. Patamon lay on a straw pallet, moaning feverishly in his sleep. "The guards brought him back here because he could no longer work. I snuck in to take care of him. I …I think he's dying."

Actually saying the words out loud were like driving a knife into her heart.

Hawkmon examined Patamon carefully, observing his symptoms. "I've seen this sickness before," he recalled, and the others looked at him, the worry on their faces giving way to curiosity. "It's called X Factor, a type of Computer Virus. Most Digimon are immune to it, but perhaps, Patamon is missing the antibody. The virus is spread by corrupt Data."

The news wasn't reassuring. The Digidestined had plenty of experience with Computer Viruses in their past, and to find out Patamon was now a victim…it didn't leave much room for hope.

"Are you saying the Control Spires caused this?" Gabumon gasped. He had recovered from the savage beating last week, but still walked with a slight limp, his back heavily scarred.

Hawkmon nodded. The only cure for this particular virus is a flower found in the Night Forest."

"We have to find it!" Gatomon insisted.

"But how can we, they've trapped us here," Palmon reasoned. "If we try to sneak out, the guards will catch us—and what about the Control Spires?"

"She's right; as long as they're standing, we can't Digivolve or anything," Wormmon said glumly.

Agumon stood up, a determined glint in his eye. "We might not need to Digivolve, guys," he said. "If we band together with the stronger Digimon prisoners, we can take them down! I noticed something earlier today—a group of Mojyamon were able to use their Bone Boomerang against a guard before they were banned to their cells—all we need to do is gather a team, lure the guards all to one spot, and cause a distraction."

"That might work," Biyomon said perkily. "But only a small group should take Patamon. I vote for Gatomon and Gabumon."

"Me too," Veemon spoke up, and the others voiced their agreement.

"We can't leave the rest of you behind!" Gatomon gasped. She couldn't bear the thought of them dying, and her or Gabumon not being there.

"Don't worry about us," Agumon insisted. "We'll manage just fine. You need to save Patamon—do it for T.K., and for all of us," he declared.

"Alright," Gatomon gave in. She glanced at Gabumon, who smiled back at her, assuring Gatomon with his eyes that he would protect both her and Patamon to the very end. She found strength in this, and turned to the others. "We won't let you down—we've come too far to give up now."


	9. Waiting

Here is Chapter Nine of QueenGatomon's Private Challenge Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

Izzy ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He took the stairs up to Tai's apartment two at a time, and pounded on his door, out of breath.

"Come in, Izzy, what did you find out?" Tai asked the moment he opened the door.

"I got an email from Gennai," Izzy said hurriedly, clutching a paper in his fist. "Tai…Dragomon and Daemon are back…and they've turned all of our Digimon into slaves."

"Agumon…" Tai gasped. No wonder they hadn't heard anything!

"And that's not all. The reason we weren't able to open any ports is…" Izzy paused for breath, reaching inside his shirt and yanking out his crest.

It had faded.

"Our Digimon have lost hope that we would come, and the crests are powerless now," Izzy delivered the verdict and Tai felt as if his head might explode.

With a shaking hand, Tai brought out his own crest, and stared in horror at the lifeless crest of Courage that lay in his palm.

"It can't be—what are we going to do, Izzy?" Tai whispered. It was strange hearing those words from Tai's mouth. He was their leader; but now things had changed and everyone was lost.

"I guess it's all in Jim and his team's hands now," Izzy insisted.

* * *

Gatomon stood by Patamon's side. Gently, she wrapped a blanket around his sleeping form. In the days leading up to their escape, he had grown weaker, fighting for every breath. She lifted him as if he were made of glass, and laid him in the sling across Gabumon's back.

The moment had come.

"Ready?" Gabumon asked.

"Yeah; I think Patamon will be okay for the trip," Gatomon smiled. She heard a shrill whistle cut through the air—Agumon's signal.

As the dungeon erupted in chaos, prisoners breaking down cell doors with attacks, and immobilizing startled guards, Gabumon aimed a Blue Blaster attack at their cell wall, and together, he and Gatomon ran for their lives, counting on the Digimon who fought outside to cover their escape.

* * *

"I should have known something was wrong."

T.K. looked up when his brother spoke. They were in Matt's hospital room, and it was unusually quiet out in the halls. Visiting Hours hadn't ended yet, and T.K. could see shadows of feet walking from under the closed door.

The nurse had just left after giving Matt another lesson on how to change the Dialysis bags himself. While he learned quickly, and was hoping to go home soon, T.K. sensed that his brother was also falling into a depression.

Dialysis was hard on him. As the time went by, Matt was becoming more and more tired. On top of his daily treatments, he had to deal with Gabumon being in trouble. When Tai gave them the news, Matt had gone so pale; T.K. thought he was going to faint.

"What do you mean?" T.K. ventured.

"I've been feeling bad for a while, but I didn't want to tell Dad. Then my crest stopped shining and…" Matt trailed off, crumpling the bed sheets in his fists.

"Wait," T.K. said. "Your crest stopped shining when you got sick?"

"Yeah," Matt leaned his head back against his pillows and closed his eyes. T.K. saw the dark circles smudged under his eyes.

"Don't you think that's kind of a coincidence?" T.K. wondered.

"I don't know," Matt muttered.

Suddenly T.K. understood. Matt's fate and the fate of their Digimon were somehow intersected. If one was destroyed, the other would follow. It had happened once before, when the Dark Masters had took over the Digital World, merging both worlds together. He hadn't realized it could happen to humans and Digimon as well.

T.K. shivered as an image of Matt and Patamon was smashed to smithereens before his eyes.

"Are you cold?" Matt wondered. They always kept the air conditioning too high in these places.

"No, I'm fine," T.K. insisted. They had to save the others…_and fast_.


	10. The Plan Unfolds

Here is Chapter Ten of QueenGatomon's Private Challenge Slavery.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

It was settled. Jim, June, Momoe, and Chizuru were going to the Digital World since only they could open a port. They gathered around Izzy's laptop in the Activity Room on the hospital's Pediatrics Ward.

"I pinpointed the location of Daemon's work camp," Izzy explained, showing them a black area on the map. "You should be able to enter near—what the?"

Everyone watched in amazement as the little black squares began rapidly disappearing.

"Something's happening!" Mimi gasped.

"You guys better get over there," Tai said urgently, not bothering to keep his voice down, although there was a group of little kids in pajamas putting a huge puzzle together a few feet away.

"Okay," Jim said, taking his team aside. "This is it," he insisted. "We have to be prepared to fight whatever is waiting for us there."

Chizuru glanced at her little sister Yolei, knowing that she had to give it her best shot. If Yolei could defeat monsters like MaloMyotismon—she could too. Yolei's Digimon, and those of the others, depended on them.

"We can do it, Jim," Momoe voiced what Chizuru couldn't find words to say, and Chizuru grinned at her older sister.

"But I'm scared," June said quietly. "What if we fail without the others' help?"

Jim thought for a moment. His gaze drifted to Matt, who was slumped in a chair looking drained and sad.

"Do it for Matt, June," Jim insisted, knowing full well their history together, and thinking that maybe, this was the time for them to set aside their past. "He needs you."

June looked surprised. "Matt—really?" she stuttered.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, June," Jim said, taking both of her hands in his. "You and Matt never got the chance to see each other for who you really are. And nobody ever knows how much time they have," he said this last part in a low voice, hoping that T.K. wouldn't hear. "I love you, but Matt needs you more."

"Oh, Jim…" June's eyes filled with tears.

"Go to him," Jim insisted, giving her a gentle push in Matt's direction.

June walked over to Matt, hesitant at first, but when he saw her coming, Matt actually smiled. "I…I'll do my best, Matt," June began, but Matt stood up and did something she didn't expect.

He hugged her.

"I know you will," he whispered, tears sliding down his cheeks.

They stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, clinging to one another, both knowing they had found the solace they were searching for.

"Time to go," Izzy said finally.

Jim stood in front of the computer, the girls beside him. He raised his Digivice. "Digiport Open!" The four of them were sucked through the portal, and those left behind had nothing to do but wait.

* * *

Gatomon and Gabumon were relieved to find the Night Forest unoccupied by Dragomon and Daemon's armies. They walked down a small dirt path scattered with a variety of flowers, the sun just barely peeking through the thick canopy of foliage above them.

"Did Hawkmon say what this flower looked like?" Gabumon wondered, gently shifting Patamon on his back.

"It was gold with red tips," Gatomon explained, jogging her memory for Hawkmon's description.

"Okay," Gabumon nodded, gazing around at their surroundings. He walked through a pile of dried leaves, and a loud yelp caused both him and Gatomon to jump backward as an Otamamon leapt from the pile, looking just as startled as they were.

"Oh!" the little Otamamon gasped. "I thought you were one of them." Gabumon and Gatomon didn't have to ask to know what she was talking about.

"Trust me, we're not the enemy," Gatomon smiled. "We thought everyone was captured…"

"The Undersea Master doesn't know where we've been hiding," the Otamamon said, signaling with her fin, and more Otamamon and Gekomon emerged from the trees, along with Elecmon from Primary Village, and a small troop of Baby Digimon.

Gabumon stared at them all, his mouth handing open in shock.

"We need your help," Gatomon insisted, glancing worriedly at Patamon. "My friend is sick with the X Factor Virus," she explained, choking up. "We're looking for a flower that can cure him."

"You need the Golden Nightshade," the friendly Otamamon said. "Elecmon knows where there's a crop nearby!"

"I'll get it right away," Elecmon took off into the trees. He cared deeply for Patamon, ever since he had landed in Primary Village with T.K. all those years ago.

"Play with us! Play with us!" a group of babies, Punimon, Poyomon, Botamon, and Nyokimon, bounced around Gabumon as he laid Patamon in the grass.

Gabumon blushed. "Okay," he said, and ran with them to play tag.

Gatomon laughed for the first time in weeks, watching her friend, and the future Digimon of the Digital World, play a simple game of tag, the babies apparently winning. She was stroking Patamon's ears, damp from the fever, when Elecmon returned with the flower, ground to a paste in a wooden bowl. Gatomon tilted Patamon's head up while Elecmon fed him the antidote.

Elecmon said that the antidote took only a few hours to take effect, but the waiting seemed like ages to Gatomon, who held onto Patamon the entire time while the antidote worked through his body. Slowly, his breathing improved, and his fever broke. Finally, Patamon's eyes fluttered open, the color returning to his face.

"…I missed you, Gato," Patamon murmured tiredly, smiling.

Gatomon began to cry. He was back.


End file.
